If you’re currently searching for a house to buy or rent you can’t have missed the significant increase in the number of property adverts now displaying virtual viewings.
This new way of viewing property has been accelerated by the pandemic and could possibly change the way we view property forever.
According to virtual tour provider Made Snappy, between mid-November 2019 and mid-May 2020 the number of lettings advertisements on Rightmove with virtual tours increased by 179 per cent! Meanwhile, the number of lettings listings with videos increased by 280 per cent during the same period.
Between mid-April (when lockdown measures were at their most severe) and mid-May (when market activity started to resume) the number of lettings listings with virtual tours increased by 44 per cent, increasing by 63 per cent for listings with videos.
The number of property listings for sale on Rightmove with virtual tours increased by 77 per cent between mid-November and mid-May, while the number of advertisements with videos increased by 50 per cent over this six-month period.
Virtual tours have proved to be a lifeline for estate agents who embrace this new technology and have needed to adapt to a changing industry and it has also been an invaluable tool during times of lockdown both nationally and locally as it allows agents to continue to operate in the ‘new normal’.
Before the pandemic, virtual property tours were perceived to be an expensive nice-to-have, but non-essential marketing tool, reserved for more premium property listings, where the return on investment could be justified. This has now changed and listings of all sizes and price points are receiving this superior service.
But what are the benefits for the client?
1. Lockdown – If the country entered another strict lockdown and viewings were prohibited, virtual tours allow buyers to view your property from the safety of their own homes.
2. Stand Out Against the Competition - A big part of getting your property sold or let is standing out above those homes for sale at the same time, and maybe completing with yours. That is why choosing an agent that embraces new technologies can make a big difference.
3. Reduces Viewings – It allows buyers to be completely sure they like your property before viewing and reduces unnecessary viewings and visits to your property, a particularly pertinent advantage during the pandemic.
If you would like more information on virtual tours please don’t hesitate to contact us and find out how RF&O is helping sellers and landlords market their properties securely and safely with virtual tours.